Work Experience
Director of Communication, brass Media
May 2010 – Present
- Work across departments to develop and implement communication strategy including brand development, media recognition and internal messaging.
- Develop and refine products and digital tools for users while maximizing customer experience.
- Manage teams to define, construct and implement projects on time and exceeding expectations.
Community Coordinator, Mid-Valley Newspapers
March 2009 – May 2010
- Developed social media efforts connecting readers around the mid-Willamette Valley across three newspapers and a variety of niche Web sites.
- Engaged readers online and in person to provide greater opportunities for news coverage and customer service.
- Managed online community as host and primary administrator while driving increased registration and teaching people how to use the technology.
- Led successful newsroom CMS transition including site development, content flow and staff training.
- Worked collaboratively to direct online news strategy while using technology to streamline newsroom work flow, educate colleagues and encourage shift toward Web-first culture.
Reporter, Corvallis Gazette-Times
August 2007 – May 2010
- Covered city and county government and local business trends and issues in Corvallis and Benton County, Oregon.
- Developed news blog around beat with emphasis on hyperlocality and interactivity.
- Regularly contributed to organizational strategy, especially in terms of digital content and operations.
- Recognized as a leader and resource for new media across multiple newsrooms and departments.
Reporter, The Ames Tribune
March 2003 – May 2007
- Covered local schools and politics, including national campaigns during caucus season.
- Expanded and developed Entertainment and Lifestyle sections as reporter and editor for weekly sections.
Education
M.S. Journalism and Mass Communication, 2007
Greenlee School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
B.A. Mass Communication/Journalism, 2002
Boise State University, Boise, Idaho
Publications and presentations:
- Thesis: Acting globally, thinking locally: how five Iowa newspapers developed news content and business strategies for online delivery.
A comparative case study to investigate the online strategies of five Iowa newspapers, including Web content, policy, and how the company evaluates success.
I found that the newspapers investigated were only beginning to integrate the online product into company policy and newsroom practices all within a context of organizational and technological change.
Paper presented to the Media Management and Economics Division, AEJMC 2007 midwinter conference, Reno, Nev. - Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication: Online Journalism and the War in Cyberspace: A Comparison Between U.S. and International Newspapers- Daniela V. Dimitrova and Matt Neznanski.
This study explored how the Internet disseminated news about the Iraq war in 2003 by comparing 26 international newspaper sites and their use of Web-specific features such as hyperlinks, animations, multimedia content, and interactive elements.
By proposing a three-stage model of online journalism and applying it to the online war coverage, the analysis suggests that online journalism has not yet reached the state of convergence.
Paper presented to the Communication Technology Division, AEJMC 2006 Convention, San Francisco, Calif.
Awards and leadership:
- Kappa Tau Alpha journalism honor society Top Scholar Award
- Awarded top graduate student scholarship for contribution to theory and humanitarian concern.
- President, Greenlee Graduate Student Association. Served in ISU Graduate and Professional Student Senate.
- Twice presented research at leading journalism academic conferences.